What's in a name?
by Dapplewolfowl
Summary: Moondust is a loyal cat, and is rewarded for that by becoming leader of ThunderClan. But she discovers an underground river with an ominous mist surrounding it. What she finds there will change her forever. Rated T for romance and battles.
1. Prologue

Moondust sat at a ledge and looked at the petrified log that made up the escape tunnel. It was her silent vigil, and she would not say a word. She looked at her home, her camp. ThunderClan camp.

There was a scuffling sound in the woods, and a wave of cat scent flew over her. There was a dreadful yowl, and a battle patrol made its way into the waking camp.

xXx

Moondust woke up, her nightmarish memory slowly easing from her mind. "Just a dream." she whispered. She remembered that horrible night, and her mother, and how the rogues had harnessed fire. Fire.

xXx

"attack!" The call echoed through the trees, chilling the bones of the prey. Moondust stayed silent but pounced on a rogue fighting his way to the nursery. The tom rolled over, nearly crushing the new warrior. He laughed and held his claws to the winded she-cat's throat, claws unsheathed.

Moondust gasped and struggled for breath. A scent filled the air and the tabby rogue fell on his back, bleeding from his stomach. StarClan must have had to help against this dishonorable attack. She stared at the tom, bleeding to death. There was no saving him now. She nipped his neck like she would a piece of prey.

Moondust gasped as she felt a searing pain on her head. Smoke boiled in her eyes, rendering her blind. She gasped for breath, but there was none. There was a smashing sound from the direction where her mother, Snowflower, was fighting a she-cat. She yowled, and blackness fell over me.

xXx

"This is what happens.." The rogues' leader paused."When you defy FlameClan." The brown tabby set fire to his branch, and I noticed the situation. The was Snowflower, tied with vines to a tree, and FlameClan was going to set fire to the camp.


	2. Chapter 1

"I say these words before the body of Amberflight. May her spirit hear and approve of my choice. Moondust, step forward. You have had an apprentice and your heart is as pure as a newleaf blossom. Will you take the honour of being ThunderClan's deputy?"

Moondust nodded, "I-I do. Thank you Ivystar." She bowed her head. Amberflight was Snowflower's kin, as well as Ivystar's. She looked at the leader.

"You can leave a greater legacy than firestar himself if you wish." the old leader looked at the clan.

A small voice piped up. Stemkit was cheerful. "Moondust!" After a chorus of cheers followed. Moondust was overwhelmed and nodded, dazed.

"Meeting dismissed." Ivystar walked off of the highledge and into the rest of the camp.

xXx

"Lilypetal, you lead a patrol with Cherryfur and Molestep. I'll set up a border patrol." Moondust said confidently. She had been the deputy for a moon, and the rest of the clan seemed to respect her as a leader although she was younger than half the warriors here. Lilypetal nodded and rounded up the two senior warriors.

Moondust looked at the blackened fur on her chest, in the exact shape of the moon. The FlameClanners branded all but Snowflower, for reasons known by everyone. The cats had been prey-stealing, and there was nothing that could get done about it for they could simply burn down the forest. She silently cursed, then remembered her duties. Seedwhisker! Brightfeather! We need to get a border patrol going."

xXx

"No!" The hoarse cry came from Moondust, and her silent vigil was broken. It didn't matter anymore. Her mother was struggling, and yowling in pain and fury at the flames that coated her white fur now. The cries quieted. The tree, and her mother, was no more.

xXx

Moondust looked at her prey, a squirrel, and slowly stalked it, her black pelt helping her stalk in the shadows. She pounced, and the squirrel squeaked. She killed the prey with a swift bite to the neck, and wished she could help her mother on her way to StarClan.

"Great catch, Moondust. It was her sister, Silvermask, and she was acting cheerful unlike for the past few moons, where she had been depressed.

"Thanks." Moondust looked at her sister's swaying belly. "Who's the father?" She asked randomly.

"I can't say." She looked at her paws and continued. "The clan won't care. They will be happy to have young cats in the ranks again. I'm not so sure about the elders." She purred.

Moondust purred also. "You should tell the clan when you get back to camp and say Blackheart is the father."

Silvermask's eyes widened. "I'd never do that! It'd be disrespectful to the father to deny his existence. Besides, Blackheart is a total grump." She puckered her lip out, and pretended to pout like a kit.

Moondust gave a laugh and sent her sister on her way.


End file.
